Surpassing The Master
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Post ep for 5x03, "Reckoner". A continuation of the conversation between Hotch and Rossi.


**_A/N – Another post-ep for 5x03, "Reckoner". It will be followed by a Hotch/Emily oneshot tomorrow. Please read & review. And if anyone has any ideas for a Hotch/Emily, Rossi/Emily or JJ/Rossi oneshot, please let me know. I'm really enjoying writing these little snippets, but I'm out of ideas! Thanks to everyone that has been reviewing, alerting, favoriting, and Pm'ing. I love to hear from you! As ever, I don't own Criminal Minds._**

**Surpassing the Master**

"Don't make my mistakes, Aaron. You've got a wonderful thing just standing on the sidelines waiting for you," David Rossi warned from his seat across from Hotch on the BAU's jet.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here, Dave," Hotch frowned at his friend.

"Don't be deliberately dense, Hotch," Dave snarled. "It doesn't suit you."

"I'm not deliberately being anything," Hotch retorted.

"Look, you loved Haley, man. And you still allowed her to walk away without a fight. Don't repeat past mistakes. Learn something from your past, Aaron," Dave urged. "Or do you want to end up like me – morosely pining away, moaning about what could have been thirty years after the fact," Dave murmured, fingering the Emma's locket between his fingers.

Glancing toward the back of the plane to where Emily sat beside a shell shocked JJ, talking quietly, Hotch murmured, "I don't think we're the only ones on this plane that have been suffering lately."

"Don't even start, Aaron," Dave grumbled. "I'm way to old and a lifetime to cynical to even think about going where you're pointing."

Shaking his head, Hotch studied the older man in front of him. It was true, David Rossi had his faults. But despite his past…his gruff demeanor, he was a good man at heart. "I'll make a deal with you, I'll talk to Emily IF you'll do the same."

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Dave snapped sarcastically, "because JJ doesn't have enough problems already."

"Does it even occur to you that you could perhaps solve each other's problems?" Hotch asked.

"Because her watching me in that interrogation room with Emma's husband really built me up in her eyes, I'm sure."

"You said what you had to say to get the answers we needed, Dave," Hotch replied flatly. "We've all done it. But I'm not the only one that needs to let go of the past," he murmured, nodding at the locket between Dave's fingertips.

Pushing the necklace across his tray table at Hotch, Dave muttered, "Take the damn thing. But, this isn't about me. It's about you. But nice job deflecting. You get points for that."

"It's complicated, Dave," Hotch said quietly.

"It always is," Dave agreed, nodding. "Complication keeps it interesting though."

"If you say so," Hotch said, shaking his head. "I'd give my right arm for simple though. Especially now."

"Just take my advice, Aaron. Talk to Emily before you look up one day and realize that you left things until it was too late."

Staring at his old mentor, Hotch finally nodded. "You're right," he finally admitted. "But, Dave? You might consider taking your own advice."

Raising a brow, Dave's eyes twinkled as he murmured, "And the student surpasses the master."

Author's Note: Thanks to tonnie2001969 for shoving me through this story. I did not like the way it went in the actual episode, so, naturally, I took some creative licenses. Thanks for reading! Please review. As ever, I don't own Criminal Minds.

Surpassing the Master

"Don't make my mistakes, Aaron. You've got a wonderful thing just standing on the sidelines waiting for you," David Rossi warned from his seat across from Hotch on the BAU's jet.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here, Dave," Hotch frowned at his friend.

"Don't be deliberately dense, Hotch," Dave snarled. "It doesn't suit you."

"I'm not deliberately being anything," Hotch retorted.

"Look, you loved Haley, man. And you still allowed her to walk away without a fight. Don't repeat past mistakes. Learn something from your past, Aaron," Dave urged. "Or do you want to end up like me – morosely pining away, moaning about what could have been thirty years after the fact," Dave murmured, caressing Emma's locket between his fingers.

Glancing toward the back of the plane to where Emily sat beside a shell shocked JJ, talking quietly, Hotch murmured, "I don't think we're the only ones on this plane that have been suffering lately."

"Don't even start, Aaron," Dave grumbled. "I'm way too old and a whole lifetime of too cynical to even think about going where you're pointing."

Shaking his head, Hotch studied the older man in front of him. It was true, David Rossi had his faults. But despite his past…his gruff demeanor, he was a good man at heart. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll talk to Emily IF you'll do the same."

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Dave snapped sarcastically, "because JJ doesn't have enough problems already."

"Does it even occur to you that you could, perhaps, solve each other's problems?" Hotch asked.

"Because her watching me in that interrogation room with Emma's husband really built me up in her eyes, I'm sure."

"You said what you had to say to get the answers we needed, Dave," Hotch replied flatly. "We've all done it. But I'm not the only one that needs to let go of the past," he murmured, nodding at the locket between Dave's fingertips.

Pushing the necklace across the table at Hotch, Dave muttered, "Take the damn thing. But, this isn't about me. It's about you. But nice job deflecting. You get points for that."

"It's complicated, Dave," Hotch said quietly.

"It always is," Dave agreed, nodding. "Complication keeps it interesting though."

"If you say so," Hotch said, shaking his head. "I'd give my right arm for simple though. Especially now."

"Just take my advice, Aaron. Talk to Emily before you look up one day and realize that you left things until it was too late."

Staring at his old mentor, Hotch finally nodded. "You're right," he finally admitted. "But, Dave? You might consider taking your own advice."

Raising a brow, Dave's eyes twinkled as he murmured, "And the student surpasses the master."


End file.
